Power Rankings: Best superhero (and some villains!) for all 31 teams

The last two weeks have seen "Thor Ragnarok" and "Justice League" invade our cineplexes, which got me wondering: Was there a superhero proxy for each NHL team this season? For this week's Power Rankings -- voted, as always, by ESPN's panel of experts -- we make our heroic attempt to link up mutants, meta-humans, aliens, dark knights, costumed freaks and others with professional hockey franchises. Excelsior!

How we rank: We use a panel of voters, and these rankings reflect which teams voters think would win head-to-head matchups. Higher-ranked teams are favored over lower-ranked teams. A run of wins doesn't guarantee a jump, and a couple of losses doesn't guarantee a fall.

SUPERMAN. Faster than a speeding puck, more goals than 29 other teams, able to leap to the top of the Eastern Conference standings in a single month. Now let's just hope that Steven Stamkos is a man of steel this season.

TEEN TITANS. Three of their top four scorers this season are rookies. Oh, and Taylor Hall is totally their Dick Grayson, wondering when he gets to make the leap from the kids' table to the Justice League.

THE CROW. Resurrected from the grave and looking really cool in the process, they won't be satisfied until they get their revenge on those who wronged them (e.g., being an enduring NHL franchise when the Coyotes relocate).

THE HULK. Can appear mild-mannered for good stretches. Then, when the battle begins, they're a giant monster that pummels its foes into submission. You don't want to make Sid angry. You won't like him when he's angry.

DARWIN. Remember that kid from "X-Men First Class" who had the unique ability to defend and protect himself from almost anything but provided next to nothing when it came to offense? Yeah, that's the Sharks this season.

GREEN ARROW. Wildly inconsistent, with moments of incredible success and moments of thudding failure. Rarely gets to the end of the season without feeling a sense of disappointment. But enough about the Wild, let's talk about "Arrow."

Editor's Picks

Steven Stamkos leads the league in points, Nikita Kucherov leads the league in goals. So, who's more valuable to the Lightning? Or do they cancel each other out and open the door for a surprise pick? Our writers debate the early Hart candidates.

Jaden Schwartz might be good at making his teammates laugh, but he harbors sadness too. Not a day has passed since the death of his sister, Mandi, that he doesn't think of her. The Blues star honors her memory by pursuing a hockey dream they both shared.

Sidney Crosby, the greatest player of his generation, is a lock for the Hall of Fame. So's Jaromir Jagr. What about Alex Ovechkin -- or rising star Connor McDavid? We put 43 active players to the test to find out who truly has the stuff of legends.

SPIDER-MAN. As Uncle Ben said, "With great power comes great responsibility." Well, there's no greater responsibility than building a winner around a generational star. Alas, right now, the Oilers are still in their "Peter Parker falling between buildings because he hasn't figured out his web shooters yet" phase.

THOR. A little pompous, thanks to the entitlement of birthright (and the kingdom where he lives). Loves to hammer opponents into submission. Ragnarok is scheduled for when Patrice Bergeron enters his declining years.

JEAN GREY. An original member with formidable powers and significant prestige, she eventually went down a path of total self-destruction.

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THE SPLEEN. As portrayed by Paul Reubens in the cult classic "Mystery Men," The Spleen is a superhero whose power is "extremely potent flatulence." We can think of no better description of the 2017-18 Arizona Coyotes.

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